Easy Crescent Rolls

 

Summer time, and the livin’ is easy, so they say.  If you want homemade, fresh croissants, then, this recipe is quick and easy!  Our Kitchen of the Month, Kelly, from A Messy Kitchen, asked us to make Easy Extra Flaky Homemade Crescent Rolls.  

I’ve made croissants the old-fashioned way, and crescent rolls from a long-time favorite recipe.  This recipe is sort of a combination of both.  When I’m craving a simple roll with a croissant-like texture, I’ll definitely be baking this again.

 

 

Check out the other Bread Baking Babes:

• Blog from OUR Kitchen – Elizabeth
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories – Karen
• A Messy Kitchen – Kelly  (Kitchen of the Month)
• My Diverse Kitchen – Aparna 
• Bread Experience – Cathy                                           
• Thyme for Cooking - Katie
• My Kitchen in Half Cups – Tanna  
• Feeding My Enthusiasms – Elle

 

 

Easy Extra Flaky Homemade Crescent Rolls.

These scrumptious crescent rolls are extra flaky and extra buttery

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time12 mins

Refrigerate1 hr 10 mins

Total Time1 hr 40 mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: 20 Crescent rolls

Calories: 235kcal

Author: Tieghan Gerard

Ingredients

Crescent Rolls

• 1/4 cup very warm water but not boiling water
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast one packet
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup warm milk not boiling
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted or softened
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for rolling
• 8 tablespoons salted butter softened
• 1 egg beaten and or melted butter, for brushing

Instructions

     1.    In the bowl of a stand mixer or large glass bowl, combine the warm water, yeast and sugar. Mix until combined. Let the mixture sit for about five minutes until it smells like bread and is foamy.

2. Once the yeast has proofed and is foamy, add the warm milk, egg, butter, salt and flour. Using a dough hook, knead the dough on medium-high speed for about five minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. It will seem sticky at first, but keep mixing (or kneading by hand*) and it will become smooth.
3. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a floured work surface. Knead the dough into a smooth ball. Grease the bowl that you mixed the dough in and set the dough back in the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
4. After 30 minutes, remove dough from fridge and roll out on a lightly floured surface to a large rectangle that’s about 1/4th inch thick. Spread the softened butter all over dough, leaving an inch around the sides of the rectangle, being careful not to break through dough with butter.
5. Fold one half of the rectangle towards the center and fold the other half over as well on top of the first layer so you have three dough layers, cover with plastic wrap and place in freezer for 10 minutes.
6. Roll out dough again to a long rectangle (being careful of the butter—roll gently) and fold dough again into thirds like a book. Place back in freezer for 10 more minutes. Repeat this process two more times for a total of three folds (and 30 minutes in the freezer)
7. After the three folds, you can either proceed with the directions or you can wrap your dough tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight or up to three days.
8. To proceed, using a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife cut the dough in half lengthwise, and then cut the dough into triangles. Using both hands, roll the crescent up. Place on a baking sheet about 2-3 inches apart, cover with a towel and set in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
9. Meanwhile, position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Before baking, brush each crescent with the beaten egg wash. Bake rolls for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden brown. If desired brush with melted butter.

Babes Steam Their Buns

 

 

This month I have the honor to be Kitchen of the Month for the Bread Baking Babes.  I took a slightly different approach to the usual baking process, selecting a recipe for Chinese steamed buns, based on a recipe from Mooncakes and Milk Bread by Kristina Cho.

I experimented with two different fillings, although in my excitement I did forget to give the dough some pizazz.  That’s okay, though, because I’m sure the other Babes had fun playing around.

I made two different versions of steamed buns.

 

The first one was filled with egg custard.  I made the firm custard, formed it into small balls, then filled and steamed the wrappers.  

 

For the second round, I made char siu pork, 

 cut it into small pieces, formed the balls, then filled and steamed the wrappers.

 

I did experiment by steaming one bun seam-side up.  It did come apart a bit, which was useful information.

I used two steamers, pots with steamer inserts that I’ve had for years.  Finally, I was able to put them to use!  I placed the buns on pieces of parchment paper, and when the cooking time was up, I let them stay in the pot, lid on, for between 5 and 10 minutes, so there were no collapsed buns.

The flavor of both varieties was delicious, and I loved the taste of the bun itself.  They also reheated well, especially the pork-filled bun.

 

 If you wish to be a Buddy this month, and play along with us, send your story to me by June 29th to be included in any roundup. (jahunt22dotgmaildotcom)

Be sure to visit the other Babes to see what kind of steamed buns they chose to make this month.

 

• Blog from OUR Kitchen – Elizabeth
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories – Karen
• A Messy Kitchen – Kelly
• My Diverse Kitchen – Aparna  
• Bread Experience – Cathy                                           
• Thyme for Cooking - Katie
• My Kitchen in Half Cups – Tanna  
• Feeding My Enthusiasms – Elle

 

 

Fluffy Steamed Buns with Filling or without Filling

Makes 12

Dough:

300 g all-purpose flour

50 g sugar

1 tsp instant yeast

½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp coarse salt

160 g warm water (about 110˚F)

Oil for greasing bowl

Place dry ingredients into a bowl of an electric mixer and whisk to combine.  Attach a dough hook, and, with the mixer on low, pour in the warm water and mix to form a shaggy dough.  Knead at medium-high speed about 8-9 minutes until the dough is very smooth and slightly tacky.  Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and form into a smooth ball.  Place into a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and proof in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 ½ hours, or in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Once the dough has proofed, deflate the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface.  Form into a smooth ball.

Unstuffed buns:

Cut 12 4-inch squares of parchment paper.

Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, form each into a smooth ball, and place on a square of parchment paper.

Cover the buns with either a damp towel or lightly greased plastic wrap, and let them proof until they are about 1 ½ times larger, about 30-45 minutes.

Set up a steamer, bring water to a simmer, and arrange the buns on the steamer basket, about 2” apart. (If you have to work in batches, keep the remaining buns in the refrigerator to keep them from overproofing.)  Steam over the simmering water for 10 minutes.  Turn off the heat, and leave the buns in the covered steamer for 5 more minutes to prevent them from collapsing.  Remove the buns and let them cool slightly before serving.

Stuffed buns:

Cut 12 4-inch squares of parchment paper.

Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, and form each into a smooth ball.  Roll each ball into a 4” circle, making sure the edges are thinner than the middle.  Fill with the desired filling and pleat the edges closed.  Place on a square of parchment paper, either pleat side up or pleat side down.

Place the buns on a baking sheet or cutting board, and cover with either a damp towel or lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow them to proof in a warm spot, until they are about 1 ½ times larger, about 30-45 minutes.

Set up a steamer, bring water to a simmer, and arrange the buns on the steamer basket, about 2” apart. (If you have to work in batches, keep the remaining buns in the refrigerator to keep them from overproofing.)  Steam over the simmering water for 10 minutes.  Turn off the heat, and leave the buns in the covered steamer for 5 more minutes to prevent them from collapsing.  Remove the buns and let them cool slightly before serving.

Dough flavor variations:

Matcha dough:  Add 7 g food-grade matcha powder to the dry ingredients.

Spinach dough:  Puree 3 cups of spinach leaves with ¾ cup warm water.  Strain the puree through a sieve, keeping the water and discarding the pulp.  There should be about 160 g of warm spinach water.

Sweet Potato dough:  Reduce the warm water to 113 g, and add 120 g of sweet potato puree along with the dry ingredients.

Whole Wheat dough:  Reduce all-purpose flour to 225 g, and add 75 g of whole wheat flour.

 

Possible fillings:

Red bean paste

Black sesame paste

Char Siu, or BBQ pork

Chicken and vegetables (chopped rather finely)

Tofu

Minced, cooked mushrooms, sautéed with onions and seasoned with soy sauce, salt, and pepper

 

Egg custard

Egg Custard Filling:

2 large eggs

65g sugar

20g cornstarch

150g heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

In a small saucepan, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth.  In a measuring cup, whisk together the heavy cream, vanilla, and salt.  Whisk the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients until smooth, then place over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until the mixture starts to thicken.  It’s ready when it coats the back of a spoon.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover the surface with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least two hours or overnight.  It should have a scoopable texture.

 

If you have a bamboo steamer, go ahead and use it, placing it above the simmering water in a metal pot.  Place squares of parchment, or cabbage leaves, on the surface so the buns don’t stick to the steamer.  If you don’t have a bamboo steamer, you can use steamer inserts that come with some pots, or create a steam environment with a steamer and a wok, or with a pot that’s slightly bigger than the steamer.  Remember to create that non-stick surface so the steamed buns don’t stick!